APH: D-Day
by Brambora121
Summary: Operation Overload was the second opening of the Western front. How three Allied countries felt about that?


It was foggy. Again.

I sighed and looked at the landing craft. They told me to don't go here, but when even that Frog did the same thing as Alfred did… I had to be there as well as the others.

I checked Stengun, it'was loaded. Ammo was in bag same as the med kit. I touched my helmet to be sure, that it's placed on my head well. Looked around and saw old and young men as they looked ahead with fright in eyes. Someone prayed. Someone vomited but we didn't talk and when we talked, we talked quietly and only in case of need.

"What's the situation?" I asked commander softly and he gave me binoculars. Focused my eyes, I tried to see any signs of our enemies… but saw nothing. I returned him binoculars with no words and looked at the sky.

"I hope that RAF doesn't disappoint today."

That day was the day of Sword. That day blood spread on the beaches. I've told Sir Churchill that maybe we should delay operation, but he was as stubborn as President Roosevelt was, when Alfred tried to persuade him too. Damn… they were as stubborn as mules. Well… we already couldn't delay it again. Surprise was the most important thing.

My magical friends flew away they didn't follow me… of course. I'd run away too, if I could.

Men were quiet we just waited to what was ahead, because behind that fog they waited to us too. With barbed wire, grenades, artillery guns and mainly – with loaded guns.

"_Will be he there?"_ I asked myself. Now, after all these days I think that he was there, he was trying to stop unstoppable. I bet that he must know what is happening. He must felt it, damn bastard.

Someone shoved me I turned and he smiled.

"What the hell are you doing here, you bloody wanker?" I terrified when I realize who he was.

"Stop be so morose, mon ami. You know why I am here."

"Why are you in _my_ craft?" I objected and misunderstood why I didn't notice him earlier.

"Someone must look after you," he said softly with his velvet voice and I looked at him. He looked so ordinary that it hurts. He hadn't his usual uniform. He was in classic military clothes, dirty and worn. Under old helmet his blond hairs curled but they weren't shiny at all. He looked nervous and his face was contorted even when he smiled. I knew that this was the hardest for him. I could see it in his blue eyes.

"Are you looking forward?" I asked with cracked voice and he shook his head.

"I've imagined it differently."

I nodded.

"Have you seen Austin and Ralph?"

"You mean Australia and New Zealand? They are on Gold. Why it must be me, who say it to you?"

At that point my heart started to beat faster.

"Why? I don't want to see them being there."

"Matthew is on Juno."

"Damn it! I don't want to… They helped me too much. It's not their war."

He put hand on my shoulder and sadly smiled.

"We are all in this mess. Or have you forgotten what war is it?"

For the first time in a long time I didn't shake his hand down. I was so scared and afraid of Grim Reaper. _What if this day will be my last?_ I thought. _I lived so long time and… Death is looking forward to me. I can see it… She is smiling cruelly._

Today I think, that I was a coward. Perhaps rightfully, when I take into account, what happened next.

"Are you scared?"

His voice trembled too. He was also afraid of what is ahead. That's why I think that I was coward. I can't be scared like that frog! It was shame for me.

"I-I am not scared, winemaker."

Commander was talking to the radio and suddenly he looked horrified but then he turned his face to serious again.

"It just started!" he shouted to us and I looked to the faces of soldiers, who were going to meet their fates. They were going to die. No one except me and that frog didn't survived. So many wasted lives. They were as pale as ghosts. Francis closed his eyes and he started to pray.

"Maid of Orleans, don't let perish our country and keep a protective hand over us," he whispered silently. I was confused. Why was he praying to her and not to the Lord?

I didn't get it first, but then it occurred to me that maybe he just needed to know, that somebody was thinking over him. Somebody, who really lived.

For a while I thought I was going mad. Was I going mad? Maybe I've gone mad and I will never know. I wanted to jump from that craft I just wanted to run away, hide and be far, far away from that madness. I started to tremble, fear was filling my body.

Maybe I live thousand and thousand years, but that day it meant nothing. Perhaps I am the strongest empire in the whole world, but I couldn't just stop feeling that cold fear. _I've experienced so many battles, I've seen so many deaths, blood spilling and suffering, but this… this will be enough. I can feel it in my bones, in my heart. I know it! I just know it!_

I felt ashamed then and I feel ashamed now, because I – the mighty British Empire – was afraid. I was falling to the pressure of surroundings and I connected my hands together.

"Saint George, protect us and our children from the horrors that we are going to experience."

I thought of Alfred, Matthew, Austin and Ralph. _My magic…! I will be able protect them all! Maybe I can-_

_No. This is impossible. I want it, but I can't show my magic power to normal people. It's forbidden. They must do it by themselves. They will make it. Totally._

But I was not sure of it. _What if they die? What if they-_

Immediately I stopped thinking. _No! This won't happen! All of them are strong, young and powerful nations and warriors. They will make it._

But I was still afraid. I love them so much, if something happen to them, I… I couldn't handle it. I prayed for them to all the supernatural to stay well, and mainly alive. I knew that I would never forgive myself for their death.

Suddenly I heard screams, shots and explosions. Sounds of hell, they made hair on my head stand up.

It's just started. Surface of water began to rock and waves were suddenly bigger and higher. And then I saw blood stains.

And all of sudden I heard something that gave me strength. I turned around, but I didn't see the source. _Is it just me? Am I hallucinating? _Till today it's still mystery to me. Maybe Saint George heard my pray and gave me power…

„_God save our gracious Queen,  
>Long live our noble Queen,<br>God save the Queen!  
>Send her victorious,<br>Happy and glorious,  
>Long to reign over us;<br>God save the Queen!"_

"God save the King and Queen. God Save the British people," I said with out loud hard voice, which changed from the silent and scared one, and the men lifted their heads in surprise. I smirked, because my blood began to boil. I didn't know why, but that sudden rage in me started to grow.

"Today blood will flow! German blood! For our allies, countries that need our help, for our children! For our royal family!" I raised my voice. Francis stared at me with flames in his eyes.

"Ready, mon ami?"

I nodded so heavily, that my head began to hurt for a moment.

"Tell that to my gun."

He smiled and extended his hand.

"Thank you."

I sneered in surprise, but I pressed his hand firmly. We were two men, two nations in our most difficult moments. We were going to do this together.

Next to us slammed missile and our craft capsized. We jumped out. Soldier next to me suddenly fell to the water, red was spilling from him.

Half swim, half run in salt water, that began to redden, and bullets started smacking to the level of water, we reached the beach.

Our weapons were ready. We were ready to face our fate. We are ready to face everyone even death.

Operation Overlord has just started.

…

When we jumped out, I decided to go with Arthur. I would never tell him, but I was afraid, that if I would go to my own, I will do everything wrong. Because everything, what I've done in that war was bad.

At once I felt salt water on my body, I don't hesitated and I waded through the water to the beach. The fog disappeared and I had terrible view of everything.

Wooden "X" with barbed wire around the whole coast which was peppered with mines. Grenades and missiles were falling everywhere from nowhere. Behind the beach were giant piles of sand and many patrol towers. Machine guns, snipers everywhere, pointing guns at the soldiers, who leapt from the boat and occupied the beach. The Germans were just excited to kill us, to massacre our brave soldiers, our army. They had to do it, if they want to survive. Rule of that war was simple. Kill or be killed.

Almost immediately I went nearly deaf from all the noise. I ducked and I tried to be invisible target. Thanks to our Lord, I hadn't my usually uniform. I would be easy kill with it. Arthur ran beside me. Land around us was shaking, exploding and I barely kept my balance. Then I stumbled behind the first "X" But Arthur wanted to go further, so I immediately caught him and pushed him behind the wood.

Behind us the soldiers were already coming from the boats and crafts, but I was shocked.

Cause it wasn't beach.

_This is a slaughterhouse. Meat grinder. More and more soldiers are coming to transform to raw flesh. It will turn them to dust, mash their dreams to bloody mess and destroy them completely._

Arthur tried to say something, but I couldn't hear him.

Besides us exploded shrapnel and we were instantly bombardment. Bullets were smacking to the wood. Ground and sand started falling to us I covered my face, but Arthur already started to shoot the Germans. He aimed the gun to one of those silhouettes on towers. I carefully tilted and I could see that some of those shades fell down from the tower. Arthur made ruthless grimace. I also raised my gun and started covering fire for those poor people who were behind us. I shot like a machine, my heart was pounding, breath concealed, but I felt nothing. Just shot like a robot.

_Hit… next._

_Hit… next _

_Reload, aim, shoot, kill the German. Reload, aim, shoot, kill the German._

Suddenly I felt how bullet's whistled so close to my ear. I froze in horror, but Arthur pulled me back. He yelled at me and I heard something like:

"Asshole... careful ... damn you, winemaker!"

I didn't hear anything more I just dazedly touched my ear. _It was so close! So… fucking… close. It could kill me. I could be dead!_ Suddenly he knocked on my shoulder and pointed to piles of sand, under which crouched soldiers, who've had the good fortune that they successfully made it there and now they were pressed to the ground. To their last stand.

England pointed to that pile; he probably wanted us to defect. I nodded at him and he indicated with his mouth:

"One."

"Two," I said, although I couldn't hear it and I prepared weapon. I could feel sweat over my body.

"Three!"

"Now!" I screamed and I know he heard me. We both quickly got up and started running. Finally I realized that life is a matter of luck. If God just don't like me, he will kill me, but this ... this was pure coincidence.

And coincidence is a fucking bitch.

We sprinted side by side and out of the corner of my eye, I could see soldiers falling around us. They stopped when mid-stride bullets forced them down to the ground dead. My head was buzzing, body was shaken, but I kept running. When we reached the walls of sands we stuck to those others, who were already here.

"We have to blow the sand and wire fence to get to the towers!" I screamed to Arthur's ear. I could see fear in his eyes, but he nodded. Then he asked loudly soldier beside him. I didn't hear the answer. There were so much noise, it was all big mass. Fucking bloody mess.

Above us we heard the roar of aircraft. _The battle in the air just started. Oh Lord… please don't let something fall to us!_

Suddenly a bullet smacked next to my leg. I ducked and clung to the sand, to France – my motherland! _This is my country and those bastards spill French blood to our land! I can feel my anger rising in me. Fucking Nazis think that-_

Then everything around me exploded and some force threw me away. Suddenly I could an vaguely feel that I was flying in the air. Before I could realize, a hand – some big hand - grabbed me and slammed me with all its strength to the ground. Everything darkened and I lost consciousness. Almost immediately I waked up. My head was throbbing, heart was pounding, I could feel pain in my whole body.

_Am I lying on the ground?_

_Is it a dream?_

_I have a nightmare ... It must be, because this can't be real. Everything revolves, whole world is greyed and I am partly deaf. Everything is buzzing and-_

_What the hell is going on?_

Then in front of me fell out of nowhere someone's body. Face to me. I made stunned gasp, because the soldier ... no, boy couldn't be older than twenty! He was dead.

I looked at that young face. The eyes were half closed and ... blue. I thought they were blue, just a bit cloudy. Nearly children's lips were almost smiling at me. Blond curls undulated around the helmet.

I think ... he was French. But I still don't know. I didn't even try to find out, who was he.

He can't be dead! My brain refused to accept it, I didn't know why, but everything in me refused it. _He's just sleeping; perhaps he's frozen in time! Of course! I have to wake him up and drag him to safety!_

"Hey!" I said silently and shook him. He was still lying on the ground. _I have to get up and get him out of here!_

"Wake up," I whispered, but then my hand fell beside him. I could only stare. He looked so innocent...

Why was he here?

Suddenly I just wanted to lie down. _Why get up? Just let me lie here and I will merge with my land as every nation in the moment of death would wish it. _Suddenly someone shook me. I writhed in his grip, but he pulled me away and everything started again. Again cries in agony, again pain, screams, explosions. I could hear moans of soldiers, who had bad luck. I tried to get up, but he held me tight. At that moment I recognized those hands that were covered with blood and dirt.

"Arthur! Leave me alone!" I shrieked, but he pushed me in front of a sand wall, to so-so hiding place. I tried to stand up, but he slapped me hardly.

"Calm down!" He yelled at me, but there were tears in his eyes and his voice was breaking. What he saw?

I waked up from daze, God knows why, I smirked.

"Sorry."

He gave me my gun, which I had almost left. Both of us escaped without injury from thatdhell for a while.

"We have a mission."

I nodded. _Sure, that's right! What have I thought? Die? Hah, stupid! I am a nation, I refuse to die! _Suddenly

I heard something. It must was a hallucination, because-

„_Allons enfants de la Patrie,  
>Le jour de gloire est arrivé!<br>Contre nous de la tyrannie,  
>L'étendard sanglant est levé,<br>L'étendard sanglant est levé,  
>Entendez-vous dans les campagnes<br>Mugir ces féroces soldats?  
>Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras<br>Egorger vos fils, vos compagnes!"_

The female voice was whispering in my ear. Was this a Marseillaise? Who sung it to me that time?

Sometimes I think it was Jeanne. That she's heard my pray.

_Germans - those fuckers - think that I would still let them rule my country?_

I could feel bloodthirsty expression on my face. I looked down at my gun. It was loaded. Then I looked at Arthur. He was smirking at me. I nodded and peeked out of the sand walls and started shooting.

_I'm not done here._

_Cruel fight for my country just getting started!_

…

Furiously I half leaped and half ran across the beach. _A giant pile of rocks blocked our path to the west... it didn't explode! _I swear quickly when I saw how many people were killed because of this. How many Americans were killed because of this!

_That German bastard will pay for this!_

I jumped into the nearest pit and lie down on the ground, while around me bullets began to whiz dangerously. Next to me was one commander, he was trying to reach someone on the radio. I knocked on his shoulder and he turned to me. He was all dirty and covered with blood.

"Who are you calling?" I yelled in his ear.

"Headquarters, sir! Tanks still didn't come, and without them we can't make this!" He shouted the answer. I cursed and patted him on the shoulder. Then I got up and ran away. Stumbling again over dead body, I raised and also I hoped, that no one focus me.

I looked around, as I approached the eastern end of the beach, which was enclosed by walls of the towers. Below them, there were my soldiers and they were shooting to their opponents. I increased my speed, my feet were floating in the air and a land exploded around me again and again.

_Poor France, I thought that Normandy beaches are nicer. They could at least greet us with flowers! Germans are so rude..._

I firmly pressed my gun, when I reached the walls and my troops. Immediately I tilted from the corner and I started to cover my men with shooting. The first dead, second, third ... Back! Instantly I hid behind a pile of rocks, but then something small landed near my feet. My heart skipped a few beats, but I immediately picked it and threw it back.

"**Grenade!" **I shouted and clung to the cold pile of rocks as well as others, grenade exploded in the air.

In moment, when nothing was happening, I turned to the beach. It was soaked with red, I can swear. I thought of the Englishman, a Frenchman and Matthew, Ralph and Austin. _Damn, let them stay save!_ I wished luck mainly to Matthew and Arthur. _Please let them be okay!_ I had to worry because looking at the devastation over there... soldiers were falling one after another. It was like a queue to death. Perhaps someone was shouting "Next!"?

I reloaded and I pushed those ideas to the back of my mind.

_I could go crazy if I am going to think like that. _

Instead of thinking I started shooting again. Just shoot, what else could I do? I am a hero; I had to save the situation...

Some was knocking on my shoulder - soldier that had to replace me. I nodded weakly and we changed our position carefully. _How many minutes have passed? Two? Three? Ten?_

When they told me what was going to happen, I decided to go here. I had to be here, that was for sure! When I leapt out of the boat, I thought, damn, this'll be dangerous, but I went into it. When I saw the falling dead young and old men, I said to myself: 'That's just war.' I know what it is! Everyone I, Mattie, Arthur, Francis ... we all know what the hell is this! After all, we have experienced so many wars and battles!

Now I think... I think I was wrong. This was not the same as before, that war was completely different; I saw it in the Pacific!

_Among the Japanese and Germans seemed to be not much difference. They were cold-blooded soldiers. Kiku and the kraut..._

_But when I looked into the faces of ordinary Japanese and Germans ... I don't know. I saw misery, pain and sadness in their eyes and-_

_It doesn't matter what am I thinking right now? Now we have to get out of this shit._

I exhaled and drank water from bottle, which was full of sand ... it got into the bottle. But I didn't care anymore and continued to drink, I was thirsty, damn it!

I looked to a unit that was there. Several young boys and some of experienced soldiers.

Omaha, Utah, Pointe du Hoc... when they told me that I have to choose, I took Omaha, but I don't know if I did the right thing. But I guess it was the same everywhere. Perhaps the French and English dudes were fighting on Sword and Gold better.

_Matthew, just don't fuck it up on June! _I thought desperately.

I looked at men.

"Covering fire. Provide me covering fire! I'll take care of it there," I said loudly and they immediately started to protest. I didn't care after all, I'm a nation, and I had to go first. I'm a hero!

"Covering fire!" I shouted at them decisively and imperiously and they finally obeyed.

"Yes, sir."

_Ah, the soldier's fate!_ I laughed quietly to myself. They reloaded and now they were waiting for my signal. I took a deep breath. _I can handle this, I am Alfred F. Jones!_ I could feel strange calm. _If I succeed, I will save a lot of lives..._

"Three, two, one ..." I said quickly.

"Now!" Shouted the soldiers and I ran from my hiding place under the protection of American bullets whizzing around. Ran directly into the German trenches, rifle in hand. Germans were hiding against fire of my troop.

Big mistake!

Once I caught the enemy, I raised up a gun and shot from close range. Germans noticed I was here, but it was too late for them.

One got a blow to the stomach. Second to the head, the third to the fuselage. Behind me I could hear my soldiers running. _I was able to engage the enemy, now let them prove themselves! _Blood spurted into the air as I was keeping shoot. Germans couldn't even start shooting I caught them unprepared to me. After all I am the nation! They weren't able to kill me!

I was suddenly out of ammo, so I rushed against krauts and I beat them with butt of mine weapon. Bullets whistled around me, but they didn't hit me. I was alive.

And then silence.

Behind me arrived our soldiers. In adrenaline, I raised my gun and I would almost shot one of them, if they didn't shout at me. Confused, I looked at my men, who looked like they got older almost for forty years.

Now we took a rest, until more Americans were able to arrive. There we had a moment of peace. Some soldiers put themselves into defensive positions and for some reason they forced me to sit.

"What is happening? No, I'm fine..." I babbled and tried to push them away. Suddenly I felt a terrible pain in right shoulder. Stunned, I looked at it and I saw a wound and blood. Others pulled me to a doctor, who was in every unit, and he took off my vest.

Someone was crying and someone just stared. The doctor was trying to take out the bullet, but I didn't feel any pain – as if my shoulder was numbed. I just felt the icy metal that pulled the bullet out, but the pain? Not really. _I think Arthur had called that post-traumatic shock. But from what am I shocked? I am America, I'm a hero! Can a hero be in shock?_

And suddenly I remembered American Civil War. I saw Americans dying and those scenes reflected with the war in the Pacific. _What's going on? Why do I feel like that now?_

_Why don't the nations go mad?_

I didn't even notice that a treatment had ended, I just stared ahead. All day suddenly became a big question. _It is theater ... there are actors and I ... what am I? Observer, because it seems to me as if I had never experienced this mess. This is happening to someone else, definitely. _I thought.

_We should wait for the tanks, I don't want to go anywhere._

Then I heard the scream of an eagle and I jumped to my feet, though wound began to hurt. _What the- where the hell an eagle came from?_

„_O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,  
>What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?<br>Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,  
>O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?<br>And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,  
>Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.<br>O say does that star spangled banner yet wave  
>O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?"<em>

Stars Spangled Banner...?

My heart began to pound faster; it felt like it will leap off the chest. Adrenaline was rising in me. I smirked.

"Come on! We will throw out the Germans of the towers!" I shouted and I took my gun. They were staring at me like if I was crazy, but I didn't care.

_Today we will win, because I ... I'm a child of the revolution!_

...

It was evening.

Beaches were filled of dead bodies. Germans had lately had to clean it. The sand was red, blood seeps great.

Normandy was in Allied hands.

Two men were sitting on stone embankment near the headquarters. They were staring to nowhere. Their mouths were processing dinner automatically. They didn't want to celebrate. Not yet.

And then on four sides four men appeared on four cardinal directions. They were dressed in military uniforms, tired, exhausted, heartbroken, injured and depressed, still couldn't see the others.

Arthur noticed them first, and then jumped and shouted with joy:

"Hey! Over here!"

Eyes of these four noticed him. Francis also jumped. His face changed, suddenly... suddenly he smiled. All eyes met.

The first who started running was Matthew. Running toward them, he was immediately joined by Alfred, Ralph and Austin. All of them reached Arthur and Francis at the same time.

They looked at each other. All six.

And then, without warning, they made big group hug. Were they crying? Crying of happiness? They laughed happily. They hugged each other, as if they didn't believe that they will meet again. They realized that this was the end of terror and the beginning of a decisive victory on the Western Front.

D-Day, Operation Overlord ended on June 6, 1944, and the second battle of Western Europe began.

**Germany losses**

About 200 000 people dead, wounded and missing

200,000 prisoners

**Allies losses **

53,700 dead

18,000 missing

155 000 injured


End file.
